Haverhill Rovers 1 Royston Town Ladies 5 ROYSTON left it to their penultimate game to produce their performance of the season – although it will not be enough to prevent them losing their Premier League status. On a blistering hot afternoon, which was mo

Haverhill Rovers 1

Royston Town Ladies 5

ROYSTON left it to their penultimate game to produce their performance of the season - although it will not be enough to prevent them losing their Premier League status.

On a blistering hot afternoon, which was more suited to cricket than football, it was Rovers who made all the running in the first 20 minutes, and as a result deservedly went ahead after 13 minutes with a well-taken goal.

The hosts upped the pressure even more, and it was only goal-line clearances by Marie Miller and Gemma Barlow, plus the Royston crossbar that prevented Rovers from going further ahead.

When Royston did finally get going, they started to produce a brand of excellent passing football, which was engineered by midfielder Wendy Webster.

A surging run from the back by Danielle Lewis was rewarded when after a quick interchange of passes with Webster, the youngster crashed the ball home for her debut goal for the club.

From then on it was one-way traffic, with Haverhill visibly wilting in the heat, while the visitors mounted waves of attacks with great movement down the right between Miller and Claire Ratty.

Town took the lead five minutes into the second half with another fine move, which saw Emma Chaffey beat the keeper from close range.

Within 10 minutes it was 3-1, as Ratty pressured a defender, whose back pass went through the keeper's legs and in for an own goal.

A vicious inswinging corner by Chaffey produced a thumping header from Clare Draper to make it 4-1, before the outstanding Leanne Buchannan ran the length of the pitch, beating three Rovers defenders, before being brought down on the edge of the area.

With Rovers in complete disarray, Chaffey was given the go-ahead by the referee to take a quick free kick, and she scored with ease.

Royston manager Kevin Foulger said: "That's probably the best performance of the season - every one of them contributed, and the passing was outstanding.

"Throughout the season we've played well, but we've had very little luck - so it's ironic that we'll be playing in Division One next year.